Engage: Citizens must take an active role to hold our leaders accountable

On Tuesday, you went to your village's polling site, signed in and filled out the ballots to choose your representatives in government -- mayors, senators, public auditor, and members of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities and the Guam Education Board.

But exercising your right to vote isn't the end of your responsibilities as a citizen until the next elections. Your duty now is to work to hold the people you elected into office accountable, and to ensure they are open and transparent as they govern on your behalf.

The beauty of our system of government is that we choose who represents us -- they work for all of us who call Guam home. It is their duty to all of us to follow the laws of the land, govern responsibly and use taxpayer money not only responsibly, but in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

But it's the job of each and every citizen to ensure that elected officials do their jobs, and do them in the best interest of the people. And that means regularly engaging public officials to hold them accountable to you and to the entire island community.

Accomplishing that isn't difficult. It means attending public hearings to offer your views, insights and thoughts on matters that are important to you, especially when it involves new legislation or changes to legislation.

You can talk to your elected officials at public meetings and events, or schedule appointments with their office to discuss your concerns. You can write them letters, or emails. You can send letters to the editor to share concerns, thoughts and problems you have with all elected officials and the public in general.

You have a First Amendment right to protest actions with which you disagree, or to press for changes you want. If elected officials won't make the changes or take the action you feel are necessary, you can introduce voter initiatives that allow all citizens to make those decisions.

We live in a great land with a great form of government, but it becomes even better when citizens take part in it, and we encourage everyone to do so.

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Engage: Citizens must take an active role to hold our leaders accountable

On Tuesday, you went to your village's polling site, signed in and filled out the ballots to choose your representatives in government -- mayors, senators, public auditor, and members of the